Free Joel!

A international campaign of solidarity from anti-fascists has been in action to raise awareness of the detention of Joel Almgren, a Swedish anti-fascist who has been remanded in custody since mid-December, when he helped to defend an anti-racist demonstration from attack by armed neo-Nazis.

A report from RevFront, a Swedish hard-left and anti-fascist group involved in the clash, said this about the events on December 15th:

“From within the Swedish Nazi-movement Svenska Motståndsrörelsen (SMR) are concidered the hardest and most violent. They thrive on their self made myth that they are the hardest aryan supermen the north has ever seen. Yesterday this myth was busted once again. Armed to the teeth, with knifes, shields and pyrotechnics 30 nazis attacked a peaceful demonstration filled with elderly and children. Unfortunately for them, we and our comrades from AFA Sthlm were there. After their initial progress throwing everything they had at us we pushed them back together with the local people from the area. Bleeding they ran, leaving their comrades behind to be treated the way we treat nazis. The end result was clear, 28 arrested nazis, 1 stabbed, several bleading – no arrested socialists.

No pasaran!”

Joel was arrested after defending a peaceful local community anti-racist demonstration from a brutal attack by neo-Nazis on 15th December in the Stockholm suburb of Kärrtorp. Locals of all sorts, including parents with their children, elderly people and youth, gathered in their neighbourhood to show strength against a Nazi organisation that had been attacking local anti-racists and spreading Nazi propaganda in schools in the area. They gathered in a peaceful protest when they were attacked by the most militant Nazi group in Sweden with knives, sticks and glass bottles. People from the demonstration defended themselves against the Nazis and some were injured themselves.

A week later, on the 22nd of December, the largest manifestation in modern history in Sweden against racism and Nazism took place in the same area. Around 20,000 people gathered with a clear message: Nazis are not welcome in our society!

For more information and updates on Joel’s case and to view solidarity actions from around the world, go to Free Joel.